Remembrance
by Kaitou1
Summary: As life fades away, a certain insurance girl's sight becomes clearer...


Disclaimer: Trigun and all its characters belong to Yasuhiro Knightow. I don't own them. If I did, you bet I'd be shouting it to high heaven.   
  
  
  
  
It's funny how at the end of life, everything makes sense. Even though your eyes may have gone blurred, your spirit sees clearer than they ever did.  
  
Mr. Vash is holding my hand. He's been here every day since Meryl...well, I don't want to think about that. I'll see her soon enough - best friends, reunited. Vash...he looks the same as he did 65 years ago, the day he and Meryl were married. I was the maid of honor - it was such a beautiful wedding. Meryl looked radiant, and Vash actually stayed serious....well, until Meryl shoved the cake in his face. That was so funny...  
  
I try to laugh, but it just hurts, and Mr. Vash is there with soothing words and a damp cloth on my forehead. Where was I?...I can't remember anymore, everything is blurring together..oh, the wedding. The wonderful wedding. It took them long enough to admit they loved each other, you know. A whole two years passed, while we took care of Knives, who woke up a year after he went to sleep...he had no memory of what he'd done, so we were able to start anew and create someone worthy of the world. After they finally came clean, everything went in a whirlwind. They were married a month later. They took up residence in a ranch north of Dankin Town. I visited them sometimes, but my home was 100 iles away, outside the town of December.  
  
Vash and Meryl were married for 56 years. He stayed with her, even as she grew older and older, and he remained the same. His love never diminished...even when she got so sick at the end, he stayed with her, just like he is staying with me now. I know it has to be hard for him to be eternally young and watch us all go. It's his burden.   
  
Me? I stayed in my town, visiting Vash, Meryl, and Knives (he started to work for Bernardelli...isn't that funny?) when I passed through on business. Oh right...my business. After I resigned from Bernardelli, a year after returning, I reopened the orphanage in December. I thought it would be a fitting tribute to a man who gave everything for his 'kids', right? Well, the word of it spread, and soon I was travelling, opening orphanages to care for the lost children of July, Dimitri, and many other cities that had been devastated by the war between Vash and Knives. He would have liked that, I think.  
  
As I got older, I began to realize that there would be no one else for me in this life. Vash and Meryl were so happy, I suppose they felt guilty I was alone. Meryl asked me more than once if I 'had anyone in mind'. No...there was only one. I always hoped, always, that one day I'd be sitting in the orphanage, and all of sudden a long shadow would fall over me. I'd look up, and there he'd be. Nicholas, home to help me care for our 'children'. Nicholas. After so many years, I knew he wasn't coming. I had his body transported back to the orphanage grounds. It's in a mausoleum I had built - I'll join him there soon. I wonder if he'll remember me, or if I'll even see him. That night before he died, he confided in me that he didn't think he'd make it to Paradise. If he didn't...I'll...it won't be paradise without Nicholas.   
  
"Milly?"  
  
My eyes open, but don't open. I can see him, but I don't know if he's real or merely the hallucination of an old woman. "Nicholas...?" He reaches out and touches me, and reflected in his eyes I can see I am young again.  
  
He's there, he's so real. Where am I? It's so green...the sun is shining...and he's smiling...so beautiful in the light...so welcoming...  
  
"Hello love...how are the children?" He says as he gently takes my hand. I'm smiling, but the tears are still flowing from my eyes. His hand is so warm, so gentle. Just as I remember it. And his eyes...  
  
"Whats the matter Milly?" he says, his smile replaced with concern as he pulls me close. I bury my face in his chest, his arms holding me close. I begin to laugh and he's smiling. "Something I miss?" he says gently holding my face in his hands. I kiss him, his lips to mine, and I smile. "No...I'm finally home...I'm finally with you..."  
  
I can feel my body, I can feel myself dying. I can see Vash smiling down at me as well. His eyes are bright with tears but he is also smiling. "Go to him Milly. Say hello to everyone for me..." Then I cant feel him anymore. Suddenly its only Nick and myself, and the bright bright light.  
"I missed you so much..." I say as he holds me ever closer, i can feel the warm light touch of feathers on my skin and I look up. Nick is smiling as we soar into the light.  
  
"I missed you too honey."  
  
  
  
  
  
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Author's notes: Wellwell, there ya have it, my first Trigun fanfic. I've always loved Milly and Nicholas, and wanted them to be together again, but didn't wanna pull a Nic resurraection fic. ^^;   
Thanks to Justin for all your help - I wouldn't have finished this without you. @_@  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



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